“Ministers are on course for a bitter legal battle over the release of Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages as part of the Covid-19 inquiry. The Cabinet Office is resolute in its view that documents and correspondence covering more than two years do not need to be released in full, claiming that parts of discussions are “unambiguously irrelevant” to the inquiry. However, Baroness Hallett, the inquiry’s chairwoman, accused ministers of misunderstanding the “great breadth” of the investigation she was carrying out and said she would be the judge of what was in its scope.” – The Times
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>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Our survey. What ConHome’s panel of party members think about the Government and the civil service.
“Rishi Sunak is reportedly eyeing a major reshuffle of his Cabinet after months of heading to close the gap between the Tories and Labour. Over the weekend, Sky reported that No. 10 is considering a “three-prong plan of attack” in order to get the Tories back on track… No. 10 may be persuaded to pursue the significant change to Mr Sunak’s top team after a poll out this morning showed his Cabinet to be roundly unpopular even with Tory Party members. The poll of members, conducted by the Conservative Home website, shows a record six senior Cabinet Members in negative ratings among the Tory grassroots – including Jeremy Hunt, Michael Gove and Grant Shapps.” – Daily Express
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>Today: ToryDiary: It’s a record month for our Cabinet League Table with six Ministers in negative ratings.
“Older millennials could boost Rishi Sunak’s election chances because of “shy capitalists” who prefer the prime minister to his party, research has revealed. A report from Onward, the centre-right think tank, found the reputation of the Tories had become “tarnished” among the 25-40 age group, with only 21 per cent saying they would vote Conservative if a general election were held the next day. However, it discovered a “Sunak effect” in voters in their thirties, among whom the prime minister is more popular than his party by 25 points. The report maps the political leanings of the generation that represents 26 per cent of adults.” – The Times
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>Today: Parliament: The next 24 seats opening Conservative candidate selections
“Rishi Sunak has announced a ban on rogue firms who target children with colourful free samples of vapes. It comes after recent NHS figures showed that nine per cent of 11 to 15-year-old children used e-cigarettes in 2021 – up from six per cent in 2018. Selling vapes to under 18s is illegal, but a loophole exists allowing unscrupulous businesses to give out free samples of vaping products. Professor Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer, said that while vaping could help adult smokers to quit, it was important to ensure non-smokers are not encouraged to start. The Prime Minister also announced a review into banning retailers selling “nicotine-free” vapes to under-18s. This will ensure the rules keep up with the way that vaping products are being used.” – Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday: Anthony Browne in Comment: The menace of scams and our plan to tackle them
“My daughters are 10 and 12, and I do not want the way vapes are marketed, promoted and sold to be attractive to them. I know that Sun readers will feel the same. That’s why I am launching a new crackdown today to protect children and go after the rogue companies and online crooks who are putting vapes into their hands. We will direct our new enforcement squad – backed by £3 million of government funding – to enforce rules on vaping, while also tackling underage sales of cigarettes. They will conduct test purchasing in car-boot sales, discount shops, mobile phone shops, and online stores, with the power to remove illegal vaping products.” – The Sun
>Yesterday: Mark Pawsey MP in Comment: At COP10, British delegates must champion vaping as a primary means of reducing tobacco harm
“Up to a million savers not used to paying taxes on their nest eggs are facing a £2billion shock as new rules take effect, according to analysis by a leading accountancy firm. The changes are likely to punish savers with bills of up to £2,000 over two years – including penalties for those who inadvertently forget to comply, research from Azets estimates. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said ordinary savers were being penalised while Baroness Altmann, a former pensions minister, said: ‘Savers haven’t been treated fairly for years.’ People with modest shareholdings are allowed to earn dividends tax-free if they are below a certain level.” – Daily Mail
Comment:
>Today: Dr Gerard Lyons’ column: We don’t need price controls. Instead, hold the Bank to account.
“Rishi Sunak has said that Prof Kathleen Stock has a right to be heard as he urged students to engage with the feminist academic’s views even if they disagree with her. Prof Stock, who believes trans women are not women, is set to take part in an event at the Oxford Union on Tuesday evening, but her invitation sparked a backlash from trans activists. In a rare intervention into a campus free speech row, the Prime Minister told The Telegraph that the vocal few must not be allowed to shut down debate and that universities must support, not stifle, contentious discussion.” – Daily Telegraph
“British police are working with North African countries to smash the gangs trying to smuggle hundreds of thousands of migrants into Europe. Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick is boosting ties with countries like Tunisia and Algeria to try to stop illegal crossings into Italy. Italian officials fear more than 400,000 migrants will arrive illegally in their country this year, four times as many as the previous 12 months. The Home Office fears that will have a knock on impact on the small boats crisis as the arrivals make their way across Europe.” – Daily Express
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“Billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money could be saved by launching a traffic-light system for expensive contracts, the government’s former anti-corruption tsar has said. Ministers are considering an amendment proposed by John Penrose, the Conservative MP, that would put Ofsted-style ratings on government contracts, indicating value for money. The proposal, which would amend the Procurement Bill, would force Whitehall departments to “state clearly what actual outcomes they are intending to achieve” when awarding a contract — for example, getting a certain number of responses to a consultation.” – The Times
“Property developers that have donated millions of pounds to the Conservative Party are considering withholding their funding over concerns the government has become more houseblocker than housebuilder. About a fifth of donations to the Tories over a ten-year period — around £60 million — came from housing developers and builders, which aligned themselves with the traditional Conservative position of home ownership. However, Tory sources have said such donations have dried up as ministers were accused of bowing to “selfish” MPs who are considered anti-development.” – The Times
“Labour is drawing up plans that would force landowners to sell plots for a fraction of their potential market price in an effort to cut home-building costs in England, according to party officials. Lisa Nandy, shadow levelling-up secretary, intends to reform how land is valued when acquired by councils through “compulsory purchase orders” (CPOs), if Labour wins the next general election. The Labour proposal for sweeping land reform would go far beyond recent government moves to allow ministers to make landowners sell their holdings more cheaply on limited occasions.” – FT
“Sir Keir Starmer was last night accused of “pandering to eco-loons” after Just Stop Oil launched yet more chaotic protests. The Labour boss was under pressure to flip-flop again by abandoning his promise to ditch new oil and gas licences in the North Sea. The eco-group immediately claimed victory in forcing Labour into bowing to their demands, but last night stepped up with even more mayhem on the streets of London. The group’s founder, wealthy donor Dale Vince, has handed at least £380,000 to the Labour boss and the party since the last election. Energy Secretary Grant Shapps said the only ones happy with the new policy would be Putin.” – The Sun
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“The UK could break apart unless it is rebuilt as a “solidarity union” where every citizen’s rights to public services and financial security are protected, the first minister of Wales, has warned. Mark Drakeford said the social and political bonds that tie the different parts of the UK together have come under “sustained assault” from 40 years of neoliberalism, a trend launched by Margaret Thatcher in 1979 and then reinforced after Brexit by Boris Johnson and Liz Truss. “In order to persuade people in all parts of the United Kingdom that their futures lie together within a restructured United Kingdom, we have to recreate a solidarity union,” the Welsh Labour leader said.” – The Guardian
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“A union is advising thousands of teachers on how to dodge marking, the Mail can reveal. The guidance tells staff that they ‘should not be expected to routinely give or receive written feedback’. Plus they ‘should not be asked to produce more than one report per academic year’. Critics say the move is part of a long-running campaign by the National Education Union (NEU) to reduce the tasks which teachers have to carry out. Tory MP Brendan Clarke-Smith said the NEU, which is balloting for strike action, should focus on raising standards, not causing misery to millions with walkouts.” – Daily Mail
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